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<h2>Stream: <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/index.html">general</a></h2>
<h3>Topic: <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html">contributing-policy</a></h3>

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<a name="160956787"></a>
<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160956787" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> oli <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160956787">(Mar 16 2019 at 16:02)</a>:</h4>
<p>Not sure which teams to ping on <a href="https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/59234" target="_blank" title="https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/59234">https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/59234</a> so... reposting here to whomever is interested. It's about documenting our "rebase, not merge" policy.</p>



<a name="160956994"></a>
<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160956994" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> davidtwco <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160956994">(Mar 16 2019 at 16:08)</a>:</h4>
<p>cc <span class="user-group-mention" data-user-group-id="1095">@WG-compiler-meta</span>, I guess.</p>



<a name="160961403"></a>
<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160961403" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> Santiago Pastorino <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160961403">(Mar 16 2019 at 18:13)</a>:</h4>
<p>+1 to documenting the policy :)</p>



<a name="160968892"></a>
<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160968892" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> centril <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160968892">(Mar 16 2019 at 21:37)</a>:</h4>
<p>+1 to documenting ofc; no harm in that so long as it is the policy...   However, +2 to dropping the policy altogether because I think it's rather hostile to new contributors. I've seen new people stop contributing because of it. Does it offer many practical advantages?</p>



<a name="160989587"></a>
<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160989587" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> oli <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160989587">(Mar 17 2019 at 08:19)</a>:</h4>
<blockquote>
<p>Does it offer many practical advantages?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I've been told yes, but <span class="user-mention" data-user-id="119009">@eddyb</span> only referred me to someone else who actually knew what the problems are</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160998670" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> davidtwco <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160998670">(Mar 17 2019 at 13:22)</a>:</h4>
<blockquote>
<p>+1 to documenting ofc; no harm in that so long as it is the policy...   However, +2 to dropping the policy altogether because I think it's rather hostile to new contributors. I've seen new people stop contributing because of it. Does it offer many practical advantages?</p>
</blockquote>
<p><span class="user-mention" data-user-id="126931">@centril</span> can you elaborate on this? what about the policy is hostile to new contributors? I'm genuinely curious, nothing there seems particularly egregious.</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160998797" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> centril <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160998797">(Mar 17 2019 at 13:26)</a>:</h4>
<p><span class="user-mention" data-user-id="124288">@oli</span> was "someone" eternaleye? It would be good to justify this with the documentation we write... if we are to make devs go through pain, let's at least say why.</p>
<p><span class="user-mention" data-user-id="116107">@davidtwco</span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>@centril can you elaborate on this? what about the policy is hostile to new contributors? I'm genuinely curious, nothing there seems particularly egregious.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Rebasing, especially when you have to deal with submodules is not exactly git-101, I would consider it advanced usage of git. I know of cases where folks walked away from contributions to rust because of this policy. Even more experienced contributors regularly screw up rebasing.</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160999062" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> davidtwco <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160999062">(Mar 17 2019 at 13:35)</a>:</h4>
<p>That's interesting. I suspect we could probably document better the steps to rebase and pitfalls to avoid (e.g. submodules are never something I've had a issue with as I just run <code>x.py</code> during the rebase and let that check them out and then that's always been fine). I can't personally think of a way to avoid rebasing when using bors to test everything merged with master.</p>
<p>I can't say I understand someone being motivated enough to make a contribution but then a rebase is enough to make that no longer worth it. <span aria-label="shrug" class="emoji emoji-1f937" role="img" title="shrug">:shrug:</span></p>



<a name="160999135"></a>
<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160999135" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> centril <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160999135">(Mar 17 2019 at 13:37)</a>:</h4>
<p><span class="user-mention" data-user-id="116107">@davidtwco</span>  Just last week I screwed up a rebase due to accidentally adding submodule updates and then had to spend an unwelcome amount of time fixing it (<a href="https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/58995" target="_blank" title="https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/58995">https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/58995</a>) ;)</p>



<a name="160999188"></a>
<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160999188" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> davidtwco <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160999188">(Mar 17 2019 at 13:38)</a>:</h4>
<p>Sure, these things will always happen occasionally, it's unavoidable. I don't think that is representative of most instances where a rebase is necessary.</p>



<a name="160999204"></a>
<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160999204" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> centril <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160999204">(Mar 17 2019 at 13:39)</a>:</h4>
<p>Sure. When that occasional thing happens to a newbie it becomes a problem imo</p>



<a name="160999252"></a>
<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160999252" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> centril <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160999252">(Mar 17 2019 at 13:40)</a>:</h4>
<p>but... documenting better would be nice</p>



<a name="160999258"></a>
<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160999258" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> davidtwco <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160999258">(Mar 17 2019 at 13:40)</a>:</h4>
<p>I'm not suggesting that it isn't a friction point, or that we shouldn't aim to minimize it where we can to make things easier for all contributors. But, had you asked me to rank the friction points in our process, that wouldn't have been high on the list at all, so it just surprised me is all.</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy/near/160999266" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> centril <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/contributing-policy.html#160999266">(Mar 17 2019 at 13:41)</a>:</h4>
<p>Hehe <span aria-label="slight smile" class="emoji emoji-1f642" role="img" title="slight smile">:slight_smile:</span></p>



<hr><p>Last updated: Aug 07 2021 at 22:04 UTC</p>
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